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Monday, March 4, 2013

Legislative Update, Week 4 - CRC Smash!

Clouds and Shadow

The CRC Tsunami continues to inundate and smash, and it will have a Senate vote today. But there's really nothing new to say on it, so that'll be after the jump.

Instead, let's talk about studded tires! The three bills that look to make a start on recovering some of the costs of road damage created by studded tires will get a hearing. That's something to cheer!

Another thing to boo? A bike registration bill.

Hearings:

On Tuesday, March 5th, at 9am, the Senate Committe on Judiciary will hold a work session on SB 9 on driving distracted with communication devices.

On Wednesday, March 6th, at 3pm, the House Committee on Transportation and Economic Development will hold a public hearing on HB 2277, HB 2278, and HB 2397 on fees for studded tires. It will be in hearing room E.

Next Monday, March 11th, at 1pm, the House Committee on Education will hold a public hearing on HB 2500 on school transportation funding. It will be in hearing room D.

What's new

Senate Bill 741 would require persons "of any age to wear helmet when using bicycle, skateboard, scooter, in-line skates or roller skates when participating in organized exhibition, competition or contest." Senate Bill 742 would require kids "under 18 years of age to wear protective headgear while operating or riding on bicycle, riding on skateboard or scooter or using in-line skates or roller skates, on public or private land."

Senate Bill 756 would allow "Department of Transportation to accept donations to State Parks and Recreation Department Fund for purpose of improving bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Permits registered owner of vehicle to make donation to fund when registration is renewed."

House Bill 3320 would create a new residential speed limit of 20 mph. This might be the BTA bill, but it doesn't have a chief sponsor yet.

House Bill 3348 approaches the matter of the apparently stalled SB 247 and would expand ConnectOregon. "Requires that 18 percent of net proceeds from Oregon State Lottery be deposited in Multimodal Transportation Fund. Expands use of fund. Directs Department of Transportation, after consultation with Oregon Department of Aviation, to administer aeronautic and airport transportation projects selected from projects to be funded with moneys in Multimodal Transportation Fund."

More updates after the jump. Bridge Mania

Tomorrow the bill for the Columbia River Crossing, Portland's $4 Billion Bridge and Highway proposal, goes to the Senate floor for a third reading and vote.

Transportation advocate, and former BTA Director, Evan Manvel has reaction and analysis here and here.

The Statesman editorialized on it last week, but didn't engage any of the critics of the project. The SJ also chose not to ask, "is this the right-size bridge?" One of the things that's just amazing about the voting and editorial reactions like this, is that even if you accept the purpose and need, few seem prepared to ask whether this is the right project, the one that best meets the purpose and need and best takes us into the 21st century. Really, this isn't the only solution! Jobs, jobs, jobs, the unions say. But there are other bridge configurations that would also provide lots of jobs. And if they really want jobs, a massive public works program to pour sidewalks, a manual labor intensive task, would produce many, many more jobs than a giant bridge and highway project. Other configurations would move more people to the right places. It's like critical thinking is on hold. 1984 and Brave New World, indeed.

There was also a news piece in the paper yesterday, but readers who have followed the matter won't find anything new in it.

Representative Lew Frederick represents North and Northeast Portland at the State Legislature. The CRC bridge and its connecting highway widening would pass through much of his district. He voted no and explains why.

I am not opposed to necessarily a bridge, but I am asking you to seriously consider the other alternative, particularly where the footprint already exists, to the extent you can minimize it. ... I live in one of the affected neighborhoods here.... We have lived in the home there for 35 years. We raised our children there. We have paid for the house. If you look at the map right next to us is a lot that has been vacant for many, many years. The City in the last four or five years in‐filled it. They have major in‐filling policy, and all of those homes, five or more, are all new. In addition, if you look at River Road ‐‐ North River Road Park, it's been dramatically improved. They have weddings out there, it's just unbelievable what they have done.... It is one of the marquee parks now in the city of Salem. Basketball, soccer, picnics. It's got a fountain in the summer that's just unbelievable. Weddings have been held there, many soccer games are held there. It's a very popular park. The proximity of this bridge, because of noise, debris, and congestion, could seriously harm those ‐‐ that neighborhood and that park. I'm not saying don't, you know, build a bridge in Oregon ‐‐ Salem, excuse me, but I am saying that you have to look at that neighborhood and the proximity of that bridge when you have other alternatives that are closer to downtown where they already have an established footprint and you will not affect businesses or residences the way you will with this Alternative...I am asking you in terms of design, seems to me you probably ‐‐ you can come up with a way to restructure, redesign this bridge so it's closer to where it is now, away from homes, not as impactful on homes and the environment in a way that basically gets the people across the river both ways and also does the least harm to surrounding neighborhoods.

Here are the relevant bills:

House Bill 2800 and House Bill 2260. 2800 passed out of committee with amendments. It is scheduled for a Monday vote on the House floor. At this point, it doesn't even look like 2260 will have any useful purpose. It is almost certain to die in committee.

Representative Greenlick has also sponsored House Bill 2690, which would stop spending on the CRC. No action, and given the insane velocity behind HB 2800, this will likely die in committee as well.

HB 3152
"Requires Department of Transportation to collect toll from bicyclists
for use of Interstate 5 bridges if department collects toll from motor
vehicle operators." This is Rep. Cameron's bill. No action.

Paying for the Roads

House Joint Resolution 9 -"Proposes amendment to Oregon
Constitution to allow revenue from taxes on motor vehicle fuel
and ownership, operation or use of motor vehicles to be used
for transportation projects that will prevent or reduce pollution
and congestion created by use of motor vehicles." Referred to Transportation and Economic Development committee.

House Bill 2276 would increase the gas tax. No action. (City Council's Legislative Committee proposes to oppose any increase to the gas tax.)

House Bill 2500 looks to expand the "types of costs that qualify as approved transportation costs for purposes of State School Fund distributions." These would include "Expenditures made to improve safety for students traveling to school by means that are not provided by the school district and that:(i) Include walking or using a bicycle, scooter, skateboard or similar device..." Public Hearing.

Senate Bill 247 would use lottery funds and creates an "Alternative Mode Transportation
Fund. Requires that nine percent of net proceeds from Oregon State
Lottery be deposited in Multimodal Transportation Fund, and that nine
percent of net proceeds be deposited in Alternative Mode Transportation
Fund. Continuously appropriates moneys in Alternative Mode
Transportation Fund to Department of Transportation. Provides that
moneys may only be used for capital improvements and operational costs
of mass transit, passenger rail, bicycle and pedestrian projects."

HB 2310 to fund "ConnectOregon." The Portland BTA is working to expand "multi-modal" to include bikes. No action.

Studded tires. House Bills 2277, 2278, and 2397 would add fees to offset the damage studded tires cause. Public hearing.

Road Safety (and "Safety")

Senate Bill 9 filed by Senator Courtney would "increase the penalty [for using a cel phone while driving]
from a Class D violation to a Class B violation, which means the maximum
fine would increase from $250 to $1,000. The minimum fine would
increase from $60 to $130." Work session.

Senate Bill 332 would establish a "Task Force on Bicycle Safety." Senator Jackie Winters proposed this, and the bill as introduced is mostly procedural and otherwise content-free at the moment. No action.

House Bill 2115 would broaden the definition of intoxicating substances for the purposes of DUI citations. No action.

HB 3047 would double the length of a motor vehicle license suspension from 10 to 20 years. No action.

About Us

The Breakfast Blog is about bicycling and the built environment here in Salem, focusing mostly on transportation but with significant servings of bike fun, land use, planning, and design. And other miscellaneous stuff.
Write: breakfastonbikes [at] gmail [dot] com